THE UNHOLY IS MADE HOLY
Today’s One Year Bible reading in Leviticus 6 deals with various kinds of offerings—Guilt, Burnt, Grain, Ordination, Sin, and Peace—that were part of the worship practices God specified for the Israelites. There are a lot of details, some of which—such as washing a bronze pot, or eating meat from an offering promptly, or not touching something that’s defiled—we understand from a health and hygiene standpoint.
I found one detail, however, especially interesting. In the instructions concerning the Grain offering (6:18) and the Sin offering (6:27), God said that anyone or anything that touched those offerings would become holy.
Normally, when something dirty touches something clean, the clean thing is contaminated. It isn’t clean any more (the “Five-Second Rule” notwithstanding). But here, when something unholy touches the offering, it becomes holy.
That’s remarkable! I would have expected that the unholy thing would render the holy thing unholy. But that’s not how things are with God.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day, who kept their distance from “sinners” lest they be made “unclean,” found fault with Jesus for associating with “sinners” of all kinds. In fact, they mocked Him as a “friend of tax collectors and sinners.” But the love Jesus demonstrated to the “sinners” attracted them to Him, causing them to want to follow Him. Jesus even touched a leper—something absolutely forbidden—and healed him. I’m sure he then wanted to follow Jesus!
God acts toward us in the same way today. When we catch a glimpse of His incredible love for us, we’re attracted to Him, and we want to live with and for Him. 1 John 1:7 speaks of Jesus’ blood cleansing us from all sin. Rather than our sin defiling Jesus, His holiness is extended to us. Wow!
How wonderful that the holy God doesn’t shrink back from unholy people! Instead, He seeks us out, and calls us to come to Him, to accept His free gift of salvation and eternal life! Let’s live in His love, and share this wonderful news with others!
I found one detail, however, especially interesting. In the instructions concerning the Grain offering (6:18) and the Sin offering (6:27), God said that anyone or anything that touched those offerings would become holy.
Normally, when something dirty touches something clean, the clean thing is contaminated. It isn’t clean any more (the “Five-Second Rule” notwithstanding). But here, when something unholy touches the offering, it becomes holy.
That’s remarkable! I would have expected that the unholy thing would render the holy thing unholy. But that’s not how things are with God.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day, who kept their distance from “sinners” lest they be made “unclean,” found fault with Jesus for associating with “sinners” of all kinds. In fact, they mocked Him as a “friend of tax collectors and sinners.” But the love Jesus demonstrated to the “sinners” attracted them to Him, causing them to want to follow Him. Jesus even touched a leper—something absolutely forbidden—and healed him. I’m sure he then wanted to follow Jesus!
God acts toward us in the same way today. When we catch a glimpse of His incredible love for us, we’re attracted to Him, and we want to live with and for Him. 1 John 1:7 speaks of Jesus’ blood cleansing us from all sin. Rather than our sin defiling Jesus, His holiness is extended to us. Wow!
How wonderful that the holy God doesn’t shrink back from unholy people! Instead, He seeks us out, and calls us to come to Him, to accept His free gift of salvation and eternal life! Let’s live in His love, and share this wonderful news with others!
by Darrel Eppler, Vice Chairman of the Elders
Posted in Read Through the Bible
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